


Make it Right

by jokerssmile



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-01
Updated: 2014-12-01
Packaged: 2018-02-27 19:35:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2703968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerssmile/pseuds/jokerssmile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A continuance to the one shot story, This Ain't Love. Emma realizes the mistake she made and does what she can to make it right between her and Regina.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please read the first story This Ain't Love. Thank you! :)

Emma's VW Bug idled as she sat in front of Regina's house.  
  
"Okay kid, I'll see you in a couple days." Emma said to Henry who was sitting in the passenger seat.  
  
He grabbed his backpack but before he opened the door he stopped and looked at her. "Did something happen between you and Mom while I was gone?" He asked.  
  
"Why would you ask that?"  
  
"Well, it's been 3 weeks since I got back from camp and you and Mom are barely speaking to each other. You don't come in the house or meet us at the diner for dinner anymore." Henry said, "Mom seems sad and you seem really pissed off."  
  
"Don't worry about us Henry." Emma told him.  
  
He looked at her and she could see the pity he felt for her.  
  
"You better get going so she doesn't wonder where you are." Emma told her.  
  
He opened the door, got out and shut the door behind him.  
  
He leaned into the open window, "I'm always going to worry about you guys." He told her before he turned around and went up the walkway.  
  
Regina always waited for Emma to drive off before she opened the door to greet Henry.  
  
The less she saw of Emma the better. To say she was bitter and hurt even now was an understatement. She had been rejected, cast aside like nothing.  
  
After that Regina didn't want to deal with anyone. All she did was go to work when she absolutely had to then return home. When she worked in her office at home, the door was always closed. She knew Henry was worried about her but she didn't know how to explain to a 14 year old what had happened between her and Emma.  
  
She couldn't explain to him that what started out as a string of one night stands with the same person for over two months ended with her falling in love and Emma walking away.  
  
Emma drove back to her apartment. Yes, finally after living in Storybrooke on and off for 4 years she finally had her own place. It wasn't much but she had her privacy and she wasn't bothered by her parents asking her 'What's Wrong?' every 5 minutes like she was a sulking teenager. Even though that's how she seemed to be acting.  
  
She tried her best to avoid Regina which meant minimizing her chances of running into her.  
  
She rarely went into the diner and even then she was very short with whoever approached her. Couldn't people see that she wanted to be left alone and to eat in peace?  
  
Sometimes she really hated living in fairy-tale town. Everyone was too god damn happy, even Grumpy.  
  
She started going to a bar just on the outskirts of town. She wouldn't get completely shit-faced because that seemed a little pathetic even for her but she'd stay long enough to drink and wash away the memories of her and Regina together.  
  
Together. They weren't a couple, they were just sleeping together right?  
  
So why did she feel bad? And why was she still avoiding Regina?  
  
Emma knew why. She knew it was because Regina had feelings for her and out of fear, Emma rejected her.  
  
At home she opened the fridge and swore under her breath as she forgot yet again to go grocery shopping.  
  
She contemplated what she should do. Go shopping, order a pizza or head over to the diner.  
  
She weighed the pros and cons then decided meatloaf night at the diner won out. She grabbed her jacket and headed out.  
  
"Hey Emma." Rudy said to her as she greeted her with a smile.  
  
"Hey." Emma said quietly with a nod of the head as she sat down at the counter.  
  
"What can I get you?" Ruby asked.  
  
"Meatloaf special and a root beer." Emma told her.  
  
"We've got hot pastrami sandwich on rye that's just to die for." Ruby told her.  
  
"Nah, just the special." Emma told her.  
  
"How about a nice juicy hamburger?"  
  
"Are you deaf? I just want the god damn special!" Emma said raising her voice.  
  
Ruby looked at her, "You know Emma, if you weren't my friend I'd kick you out of here."  
  
Emma stared at her.  
  
"I'm not sure what you're problem is but you've been a royal bitch these last few weeks and that's saying something since we actually have a royal here who's a freaking nightmare." Ruby told her.  
  
"You know what, spare me the lecture." Emma said as she stood up and turned to leave. She got to the door and turned around, "Your meatloaf's dry anyways."  
  
"I guess pizza it is." Emma said to herself as she walked down the street and back to her apartment.  
  
Two days later, on a boring Sunday morning Emma was sitting at her desk at the sheriff's station when the phone rang.  
  
"Hello, Sheriff Swan speaking." She said.  
  
"I need to report a break in."  
  
"Regina?" Emma asked surprised to hear her voice on the line.  
  
"My office at the Town Hall was broken into some time last night. I think the alarm may have been tampered with as well." Regina said, "Can you send someone over?"  
  
"Yes." Emma said and hung up.  
  
Moments later she pulled up in front of the Town Hall and went inside. She found Regina standing out in the hall just outside her office.  
  
"Has anyone besides you been inside?" Emma asked as she walked up to her.  
  
"I asked you to send someone." Regina said to her.  
  
"David's on another call so I'm all you've got." Emma told her as she pushed the door open and went into the office.  
  
Regina followed her.  
  
"Is there anything missing?" Emma asked as she looked around the trashed office. Paperwork was scattered everywhere. File drawers were left open and everything that had been on Regina's desk was now on the floor.  
  
"I don't know." Regina said as she looked around.  
  
Emma looked at her. She looked scared and confused as she played with the pendant on her necklace.  
  
"Hey." Emma said getting her attention.  
  
Regina looked at her, really looked at her.  
  
"Are you okay?" Emma asked.  
  
Something changed in Regina's eyes, "I'm fine Sheriff Swan."  
  
Emma should have expected the coldness that Regina gave her and she knew that she deserved it too.  
  
"You said the alarm was tampered with?" Emma asked getting back to business.  
  
"The alarm company should have been notified that someone broke in but it never went off." Regina told her.  
  
"Okay. I'll be right back." Emma said as she left the office.  
  
15 minutes later she came back and found Regina out in the hall again.  
  
"The wires to the alarm box were cut." Emma told her, "And that's why the alarm company wasn't notified."  
  
"Who would do something like this?" Regina asked.  
  
Emma gave her a look, "Make any new enemies lately?"  
  
"Just you." Regina said as she turned to go back into the office.  
  
"Hey, I'm not your enemy." Emma said following her.  
  
"Well you certainly aren't my friend." Regina said.  
  
Emma sighed, "Look why don't you go home and let me do my job and I'll let you know what I find."  
  
"Why don't you just do your job and not worry about me?" Regina said to her.  
  
"What's your problem?" Emma asked her, "I'm trying to …"  
  
"Trying to what Ms. Swan?" Regina asked cutting her off and getting in her face.  
  
"I really don't need this shit right now." Emma said, "I'm trying to help you."  
  
"Walk away." Regina told her, "It's what you're good at."  
  
Emma clenched her jaw. She was about to say something when Henry called out for Regina as he came up the hall.  
  
Emma stepped back and Regina smiled a small victory in her book.  
  
Henry came into the office, "Whoa, what happened?" He asked.  
  
"I need you guys to clear out and let me process the crime scene." Emma told them.  
  
Regina looked at Emma then she and Henry finally left the office.  
  
It took two hours for Emma to go over Regina's office before she went back to the Sheriff's office and started her paperwork.  
  
"Anything interesting come up while I was gone?" David asked as he came in.  
  
"Regina's office got broke into last night." Emma told him, "I was just over there this morning to see the aftermath and take a report."  
  
"Any suspects?" He asked.  
  
"I might have someone in mind." Emma told him.  
  
Emma worked through the morning on the reports before she decided to get some lunch and go home.  
  
She sat on the couch and opened every carton she bought and dug in with her chopsticks one carton at a time.  
  
A knock at the door got Emma up off the couch and she opened the door to see Henry.  
  
"Hey." Emma said to him, "What's going on?"  
  
"We need to talk." Henry told her as he walked into her apartment.  
  
"Does your mom know you're here?" Emma asked  
  
"No." Henry told her as he sat down on the couch.  
  
"Call her and tell her where you are." Emma told him as she shut the door.  
  
"You call her." Henry told her.  
  
"Hey buddy, I'm not really liking your attitude right now." Emma said to him.  
  
"Well I don't like what's going on between you and Mom." Henry told her.  
  
"And I told you that was none of your business." Emma told him.  
  
"It is my business when I'm stuck between the two of you." Henry told her.  
  
"Yeah and what's your mom going to say when she finds out you're the one that broke in and trashed her office?" Emma asked him.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Henry said.  
  
"Don't lie to me." Emma told him.  
  
"Stop acting like an asshole and fix whatever you did before it gets worse." Henry told her then turned and left, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Emma stood in her living room amazed that her son just spoke to her that way. He was right though and she hated when the kid was right.  
  
Emma had been acting like an asshole and not just to Regina but almost everyone she ran into.  
  
She didn't have many friends in town, in fact she could count them all on one hand.  
  
Emma didn't want to think about all the people she angered or hurt so instead of doing that she headed to her favorite bar.  
  
After Mulan left the Merry Men she took a job bartending and she was one of the few people that Emma hadn't quite pissed off yet.  
  
She sat on a bar stool and order a drink. As she waited she did something she was hoping to avoid and that was think about Regina.  
  
No strings, no feelings, no commitment. That's what they had said, that's what they agreed on. Emma had tried her hardest to keep it that way. There was no cuddling, no pillow talk and she never stayed over.  
  
If it had been anyone else, then maybe it would have been just that, but this was Regina fucking Mills. Damn her, just damn her.  
  
Emma knew when things started to get complicated. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she started to feel something for Regina.  
  
As soon as it happened she should have stopped what was going on between them. Told Regina it had been great but it was time to move on and go back to their boring lives. But she didn't, she let it continue and it only got worse.  
  
She could tell Regina had feelings for her as well and then Regina asked her to stay.  
  
Emma wanted to, God she wanted to but she was afraid. She spoke the truth when she told Regina they'd only end up hurting each other.  
  
What if they didn't work out? What if something happened between them and they went back to hating each other more than ever?  
  
Where would that leave Henry? He'd be once again torn between his two mothers, forced to choose one over the other.  
  
Regina didn't know how hard it was for Emma to walk away from her that night. To close the door on something that she wanted.  
  
When the whole thing started with her and Regina she hadn't expected much. But soon it got harder and harder to leave.  
  
But if it was so hard to leave then why did she?  
  
She knew she had to because every moment she stayed in bed with her, every minute she found herself getting comfortable lying beside Regina it frightened her.  
  
She didn't want to have feelings for Regina. Feelings only complicated things and their relationship was already more than complicated on its own without adding feelings into the mix.  
  
So she thought if she broke it off now, before it got too serious that they'd hurt for a little while, the feelings would fade and they'd go back to normal.  
  
A few weeks had passed and nothing helped because she still thought about Regina and she missed her too.  
  
Some shots and a few beers later Emma sat hunched over the bar slightly drunk.  
  
"Something on your mind?" Mulan asked.  
  
"Huh?" Emma asked her, "Nothing. Don't talk. Just pour me another."  
  
"I don't know if you need another."  
  
"Are you a bartender or my mother?" Emma asked, "Come on Mulan I don't need to talk, I just want another drink."  
  
"It seems you only come here and drink this way when something's bothering you." Mulan said to her.  
  
"What do you do when you've hurt someone?" Emma asked.  
  
"Usually I use some kind of make-shift bandage and patch up the wound."  
  
Even drunk Emma had to smile at how Mulan didn't get what she was saying.  
  
"Patch things up huh?" Emma asked, "Does that usually work?"  
  
"Depends on how deep the wound is." Mulan told her.  
  
Emma knew it was probably too late to fix anything, to try to repair what damage she caused. She knew even if she went to Regina and told her that she had feelings for her and that she was sorry that Regina more than likely wouldn't listen to her.  
  
But she had to try. She knew she had to humble herself and be honest with her. She knew that if they were ever going to work things out that she was going to have to be the one to make things right.  
  
"Can you call me a cab?" Emma asked.  
  
"I'm not sure how that would help but you're a cab." Mulan said completely serious.  
  
Emma sighed, "I meant can you call a cab for me."  
  
"Oh yes that I can do." Mulan told her.  
  
Emma had the cabbie pull over so she could throw up before she finally made it into town and the cabbie dropped her off in front of Regina's house.  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Emma stood on wobbly legs at Regina's door. She wasn't sure if it was nerves or the booze but either way she was doing her best to stand up straight and not throw up again.  
  
She reached for the doorbell, her hand hovered over it.  
  
The door swung open and startled her.  
  
"What are you doing?" Regina asked her.  
  
"I…. I .. can we…" Emma mumbled.  
  
"Are you drunk?" Regina asked as she stepped out onto the porch and shut the door behind her.  
  
Emma cleared her throat and looked at Regina, "A little."  
  
"Why are you here?" Regina asked, "I hope it's not to see Henry because I won't allow it while you're drunk."  
  
Emma stood trying to gather her thoughts.  
  
"Leave Ms. Swan." Regina demanded then turned to go back into the house.  
  
"Regina wait…" Emma said, "Please I need to talk to you."  
  
Regina turned around, "Does it have to do with Henry?"  
  
"No." Emma told her.  
  
"Then there's nothing to talk about." Regina said as she went inside then slammed the door in Emma's face.  
  
Emma rested her forehead against the door, "Maybe coming here drunk wasn't the best idea but you know me Regina, you know I don't really do best ideas."  
  
Emma continued to talk to through the door and hoped that Regina was listening.  
  
"We need to talk and I'm not going to give up till we do." Emma told her, "But I have to go throw up now so I'll be back."  
  
"Do you hear me Regina?" Emma asked, "I'm going to come back."  
  
Emma waited to see if she could hear anything from the other side of the door and when she didn't she turned around and headed back down the walkway.  
  
She impressed herself when she waited till she got back to her apartment before throwing up. She sat on the floor in her bathroom as she groaned and clung to the toilet bowel.  
  
She needed to sober up fast so she could go back and talk to Regina. She got up and went into her kitchen and brewed some coffee. She looked through her fridge and cupboards for something to eat and settled on toast. She poured herself some coffee and slowly ate her toast.  
  
While she sat and sobered up she thought about what she would say to Regina. She just hoped that Regina would hear her out and not call David to come arrest her.  
  
Emma fell asleep on her couch and didn't wake up till early the next morning. She groaned as she sat up straight and rubbed the kink in her neck she got from sleeping at a weird angle. She looked at her phone to see what time it was and realized she had 3 missed calls from Mary Margaret.  
  
Emma sighed as she got up from the couch and went into her bathroom. She knew her parents were worried about her recent behavior but she was an adult and they really needed to back off a bit.  
  
She showered, changed into some clothes that didn't smell like stale beer and vomit then headed for the door.  
  
She cursed when she realized that her car was still at the bar. She opened her door and pinned to the outside of it were her keys and a note.  
  
'I parked your devil car out front. If you want to talk you know where to find me.' -Mulan  
  
Emma snatched the note and her keys off the door before she shut it and went to her car.  
  
She drove to Regina's and parked out front. This time on steadier legs she walked up onto the porch, rang the doorbell and waited.  
  
After waiting a good few minutes she checked her phone. It was early, maybe Regina and Henry were asleep.  
  
She rang the bell again and waited. "Come on Regina, open the door." Emma said quietly.  
  
The door flung open and there stood Henry.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Henry asked surprised to see her.  
  
"Does nobody know how to answer a door politely anymore?" Emma asked, "Hi Henry."  
  
"Hi." He said, "But what are you doing here?"  
  
"I need to talk to Regina." Emma told him, "Is she home?"  
  
Henry hesitated a bit.  
  
"Henry, this is important." Emma told him, "Where is she?"  
  
"What are you going to do?" He asked her.  
  
"Look, I know you want to protect her and I know that these last few weeks have been hard for you but I need to talk to her and explain things to her and tell her how I …." Emma stopped, "Do you know where she is or not?"  
  
"She's at the Town Hall." He told her.  
  
"Thanks." She said then turned to leave.  
  
"Hey!" He called after her and she turned to face him.  
  
"Whatever you're going to do just please mean it." He told her.  
  
Emma looked at him, a small smile on her face, "I'm going to do my best."  
  
She took off again this time driving to the Town Hall. She knocked on Regina's office door and waited.  
  
No answer.  
  
She didn't knock a second time just turned the knob and walked in. Regina was sitting at her desk doing paperwork when she looked up.  
  
"Ms. Swan, did I say to come in?" Regina asked.  
  
"If I had to wait out there for you to say come in I'd be out there forever." Emma told her.  
  
"Then you get my point." Regina said to her.  
  
"We need to talk." Emma said.  
  
"Is this about the break in or Henry?" Regina asked, "Or is this about your little drunken visit to my door last night?"  
  
"It's about the last 3 weeks." Emma told her.  
  
When Regina didn't respond Emma continued.  
  
"It's also about what happened between us." She said to her.  
  
"Oh did something happen between us?" Regina asked.  
  
Emma sighed, "You're not going to make this easy are you?"  
  
"Why should I? You think you can come in here, apologize, grovel or whatever it is you planned on doing and I'd do what exactly? " Regina asked as she got up and stood in front of Emma, "See how sincere you are and forgive you?"  
  
Regina stepped up to her, "You must have forgotten who I am Ms. Swan."  
  
"You don't get to make a fool out of me then apologize and have everything go back to normal." Regina told her.  
  
"That's not what I was going to do." Emma told her, "Well that's not all I was going to do, but you have to hear me out."  
  
"I don't have to do anything when it comes to you." Regina said as she turned around and went to sit behind her desk.  
  
"You can leave now." Regina told her with a dismissive wave of her hand.  
  
"I'm not going to leave." Emma said to her.  
  
Regina looked up from her paper work, a smirk on her face, "Oh really? So you're not just going to walk away this time huh?"  
  
"Regina, I know what happened between us was hard for you." Emma said, "But it was hard for me too."  
  
"How was it hard for you?" Regina asked, "You screwed my brains out then walked away every night. It's what you wanted right?"  
  
"Will you just let me explain?" Emma asked her.  
  
When Regina didn't fight her Emma sighed and continued, "When all this started with us, it was fun. It felt good and we were both getting what we wanted and something changed…"  
  
"Yes I know. Stupid me for developing feelings for you, my little tryst." Regina interrupted her.  
  
"No, that's not what I'm trying to say." Emma told her.  
  
"And what is it you're trying to say then Ms. Swan?" Regina asked as she stood in front of her, arms folded across her chest.  
  
"This isn't easy for me okay." Emma said, "I didn't think anyone would get hurt with what we did."  
  
"You were wrong." Regina told her.  
  
"Yeah I know that." Emma said, "But …."  
  
A knock at the door interrupted them and Sidney poked his head in.  
  
"Go away Sidney, we're talking." Emma said to him.  
  
"Madam Mayor, there's an urgent matter that needs attending to." He said ignoring Emma.  
  
Emma looked at Regina, "Don't go."  
  
Regina headed for the door, "I trust you can see yourself out."  
  
"This isn't over yet." Emma called after her, "We're gonna have to talk about this Regina."  
  
Emma left Regina's office after leaving a note on her desk. She decided that what she did with Regina was a start and she realized that not only did she need to make things right with her but she should probably start making things right with the other people in town that she'd hurt.  
  
She went to the diner and sat at the counter. Ruby ignored her as she brought menus over to a group sitting in a booth. She walked passed Emma a few more times before Emma spoke up.  
  
"Hey, can we talk?"  
  
Ruby set down the plates of food at her table of customers then turned to Emma.  
  
"Come to compliment the meat loaf again?" Ruby asked her.  
  
"I'm sorry Ruby. I really am." Emma told her, "I've been a bitch you're right and I know it's no excuse but I've been going through something and it's just got me kind of torn up."  
  
"I'm supposed to be your best friend Emma." Ruby told her, "You have a problem, whatever it is you're supposed to come to me and we talk about it and figure it out. That's what friends do for each other."  
  
Emma sighed, "All I can do is say I'm sorry."  
  
"You could tell me what's bothering you." Ruby told her, "Unless you feel like going to the bar, drinking with Mulan and spilling all your secrets to her instead."  
  
Emma smiled, "No, I think I still have a slight hangover from last night. It's best I stay away from booze so I can do what I need to do with a clear head."  
  
"What is it you have to do?" Ruby asked.  
  
Emma got up from the stool she was sitting on, "I'll let you know if it all works out."  
  
Emma went to her parents to apologize for her behavior and instead of just graciously accepting her apology they grilled her for over an hour asking her questions.  
  
She told them that she wasn't going to explain everything to them and she hoped they'd respect her enough to just leave it at that.  
  
Mary Margaret wanted to press her further but David stepped in and Emma was thankful for that.  
  
Emma apologized to a few other people before making her way back to her apartment. Henry was inside sitting on the couch when she walked in.  
  
"Hey kid, what are you doing here?" Emma asked as she shut the door.  
  
"Just wanted to make sure you returned alive." He told her.  
  
He got up from the couch, "I could help you if you need me to. I could help you fix whatever happened between the two of you."  
  
Emma smiled, "I appreciate you wanting to help me but I don't need it Henry. I screwed this all up myself and that's how I'm going to fix it."  
  
Regina came back into her office and sat at her desk. She saw the handwritten note from Emma taped to her computer screen.  
  
'I'm not running away this time.'-Emma  
  
Regina crumpled up the note and threw it in the trashcan.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina was sitting on her couch in the living room in front of a roaring fire sipping on the latest batch of cider she'd made.  
  
And this wasn't your mother's apple cider, this was spiked and spicy and Regina had to do her best not to chug it down at the moment.  
  
It had been 2 days since Emma left the note on her desk about not running away and then nothing else.  
  
"The nerve." Regina mumbled to herself as she took another sip, "Who the hell did Emma think she was walking into my office with that smile of hers after all this time and trying to worm her way back into my bed?"  
  
She thought about what Emma was trying to do, she thought about when she came to her house drunk and tried talking to her. A part of her wanted to hear what Emma had to say but another part, the rational part knew she was just coming over for a booty call.  
  
Regina was done with that. She wasn't going to be used by anyone anymore, especially not Emma.  
  
But Emma had come back, had told her that she wanted to talk about what happened between them and Regina shut her down.  
  
What could Emma say that she didn't already know?  
  
Whatever it was Regina wasn't sure she wanted to hear it. Emma had hurt and rejected her and she wasn't sure how or if she could forgive her for that.  
  
These last three weeks had been hard for her. She missed having Emma around and not just in her bed. That first week after Emma walked away Regina just wanted to stay in bed with her head under the covers, listen to sad music and cry. Then she realized, aside from being in the real world way too long that it would make her into some sappy unrecognizable person, she couldn't do that. She couldn't let people see that she was hurt, not Henry and especially not Emma.  
  
She was always the strong one and showed little vulnerability so instead of curling up in a ball and crying she stood up straight and got on with business.  
  
Though that didn't stop her from hurting, didn't stop her from thinking about Emma.  
  
And now once again here she was waiting on Emma. Damn it she cursed herself. Stop waiting around for a woman that obviously has no regard for you or how you feel!  
  
She threw back the rest of the cider in her glass and headed out the door.  
  
"Hey come and sit down here for a minute will you?" Emma said to Henry who was in her kitchen getting something to drink from the fridge.  
  
He walked over and sat on the couch next to her, "What's going on?"  
  
"I just wanted to talk to you about your mom." Emma told him.  
  
"Is it about why you and here aren't getting along?" He asked her.  
  
"Yeah, well kind of." Emma told him.  
  
She sighed, "While you were at camp Regina and I tried something and before it could get serious, I walked away."  
  
Henry looked at her, "Why would you do that?"  
  
"The simple reason? I'm stupid." Emma told him, "But the more complicated version is I got scared."  
  
"Scared about what?" Henry asked her.  
  
"What it would all mean." Emma told him, "It wouldn't be just me. It would be Regina and you too and I've never really thought about that before."  
  
"You mean like, being in a family?" He asked her.  
  
"Yeah. But Henry I want you to know that I want to try again with her. I want to see where it will go for us." She told him, "If that's okay with you."  
  
"So wait, are you asking me permission to date my mom?" Henry asked with a smile on his face.  
  
"I am." She told him.  
  
Henry thought for a minute, he could make this difficult for her but he knew his mom would already do that.  
  
"Okay you have my permission." He told her, "Just do your best not to hurt her again."  
  
"I'll try Henry." She told him, "I'll really try."  
  
Regina stood outside Emma's door ready to knock when she heard Henry and Emma's muffled voices. She couldn't hear everything but she could have sworn Emma mentioned her name and it almost sounded like Emma was telling Henry what had happened between them.  
  
Oh hell no! Regina thought then knocked hard on the door and startled both Henry and Emma.  
  
Emma got up and answered the door and was surprised to see Regina, "What the hell?"  
  
"Henry it's time to go." Regina said to him.  
  
"But…"  
  
"No, now." Regina told him.  
  
She looked at Emma, "Were you telling my son what happened between us?"  
  
"Our son." Emma corrected her, "And it's not like I went into detail. But he needed to know what happened and how things are going to change."  
  
"What things?" Regina asked her.  
  
"You'll see." Emma said smiling.  
  
Henry came to the door and Regina put an arm around him, "Let's go."  
  
"Bye." He said to Emma then turned to leave with Regina.  
  
"See you later." She said then shut the door.  
  
Emma sat on her couch and tried figuring out how she could win Regina back. She didn't have much of a plan other than seeing first if Regina still wanted to be with her.  
  
Later in the day Emma headed over to the Town Hall and walked right into Regina's office without knocking.  
  
"Excuse me?" Regina said as she sat behind her desk, "You can't just barge in here like you own the place."  
  
"We need to talk." Emma told her, "Actually no, I need to talk and you need to listen."  
  
Regina sat back in her chair, "Oh really?"  
  
"Yeah really." Emma told her.  
  
Emma sighed then looked at her, "We started having sex for fun or to cure the loneliness or whatever reasons we want to tell ourselves."  
  
"It got complicated and messy and neither one of us wanted it to stop because it felt good and in some ways it felt right." Emma said, "And I know you felt something for me and I know I ran away from that."  
  
Regina sat quietly listening to her.  
  
Emma looked at her, "And I know saying sorry won't make up for hurting and embarrassing you. But I want to make it up to you."  
  
"Why?" Regina asked as she stood up and went over to her, "Why would you want to make it up to me?"  
  
"Because the reason I acted the way I did that night and every day since was because I do have feelings for you Regina." Emma told her.  
  
Regina gave no reaction to what Emma has just told her.  
  
"Did you hear me?" Emma asked her, "I said I have feelings for you."  
  
"Yes I heard you." Regina said as she went and sat back down in her chair, "But I don't believe you."  
  
Emma stood there surprised. She wasn't sure what she expected from Regina but to have her say she didn't believe her wasn't it.  
  
Emma smiled and Regina didn't like that.  
  
"Why are you smiling?" Regina asked her.  
  
"Well if you don't believe that I have feelings for you then I'll just have to prove it to you." Emma told her.  
  
Regina picked up a pen from her desk and looked down at her paper work, "Give it your best shot Ms. Swan."  
  
"You may regret saying that." Emma told her as she headed for the door.  
  
Regina watched as she closed the door behind her. She sat wondering if Emma's new found boldness had something to do with what she and Henry had been talking about earlier.  
  
She didn't lie when she said that she didn't believe that Emma had feelings for her but a part of her wanted to see what Emma might do to prove it. She wasn't sure if this was giving Emma a second chance or just an opportunity to see if Emma would make a fool of herself.  
  
In the evening Regina was at home working in her office when the doorbell rang. She heard Henry's footfall on the stairs and him answering the door.  
  
"Uh Mom it's for you!" He shouted.  
  
Regina came out of her office and walked up the hall, "How many times have I told you not to shout like that Henry?" She asked him.  
  
"Sorry." He told her.  
  
"Now what is it?" Regina asked and Henry opened the door for her.  
  
On the porch stood a small stuffed horse about 3 feet tall and next to it, a small grey donkey.  
  
"What is this?" Regina asked as she looked at Henry, "Is this some kind of joke?"  
  
"They have notes on their necks." Henry said.  
  
Regina picked up the horse, took the note and read it out loud, "A racehorse by the name of Regal has been sent to Green Meadows Animal Sanctuary in your honor."  
  
Regina handed the horse and note to Henry then picked up the small donkey and took the note around its neck and read it out loud, "An ass by the name of Emma has been sent to Green Meadows Animal Sanctuary in your honor."  
  
Regina chuckled, "What?"  
  
She looked at Henry, "Is this a real thing?" She asked him.  
  
He shrugged, "I don't know."  
  
Regina shut the door and didn't say another word as she carried the small grey donkey under her arm and went back to her office.  
  
At lunch time the next day Regina was at the diner grabbing her lunch to go when Emma walked in and sat down next to her at the counter.  
  
"Hi."  
  
Regina looked at her, "Hello."  
  
"Did you get my gift?" Emma asked.  
  
"Yes." Regina said to her.  
  
"Pretty clever huh?" Emma asked with a big smile.  
  
Regina looked at her, saw how proud she was of herself.  
  
"I don't need clever from you." Regina said as Ruby placed a brown bag on the counter for her, "I need you to be sincere."  
  
Regina grabbed her lunch bag, walked passed Emma and headed out the door.  
  
Three days went by and she hadn't heard from Emma or received anything more from her so she assumed that Emma had given up.  
  
However on the 4th day Regina woke early and stretched in bed. She got out of bed, showered and got ready for her day. She was in the kitchen making herself a cup of coffee when she heard something in her backyard.  
  
She hoped it wasn't the squirrels fighting in her apple tree again.  
  
She opened the back door and saw someone digging a hole.  
  
"Hey!" She shouted as she stormed over.  
  
Emma turned around, dirt covering her hands and a few beads of sweat on her forehead, "Hey." Emma said with a smile.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Regina asked as she saw a gaping hole in her lawn.  
  
"I'm planting you an apple tree." Emma told her.  
  
"You're what?" Regina asked, "Why?"  
  
"So that every time you see it you'll think of me." Emma told her as she took the tree, loosened the roots and gently placed it in the hole.  
  
"What kind of apple tree could possibly remind me of you?" Regina asked her hands on her hips.  
  
Emma started to shovel dirt around the tender roots.  
  
She looked up at Regina and said in all seriousness, "A Crabapple."  
  
Regina laughed out loud.  
  
She realized what she had done and cleared her throat, "Yes well that would certainly remind me of you."  
  
She looked around, "You messed up my yard."  
  
"I know it looks bad now but I promise you that I'll do what I can to fix it." Emma told her.  
  
Regina wasn't sure if it was the yard she was talking about or their situation.  
  
"Just make sure you don't do any more damage." Regina told her then turned around and headed to the backdoor.  
  
"Golden Delicious." Emma called out to her.  
  
"What?" She asked as she turned around.  
  
"It's actually a Golden Delicious apple tree." Emma told her, "See? Either way you'll be thinking about me."  
  
Emma smiled at her and Regina did her best to hide the smile that tugged at her lips.  
  
A few hours later Regina returned to her yard and Emma had done what she promised. Aside from the fresh dirt around a newly planted tree nothing else was different in her yard.  
  
Regina went over to the small tree and touched one of the leaves and shook her head as she thought about Emma.  
  
In the afternoon Regina was in her office at Town Hall working on paperwork for the town meeting when she stopped to take a break. It was such a lovely day outside and she was stuck inside trying to balance the city budget.  
  
Sometimes being mayor wasn't worth all the paperwork.  
  
She got up from her chair and went to one of her large windows and opened it. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the cool breeze that came in.  
  
A small bird landed on the window sill and started to chirp.  
  
Regina opened her eyes and glared at the bird.  
  
"Shoo you pest!" She said as she flicked her hand at the bird to get it to fly away.  
  
The bird hopped to the side and continued to chirp.  
  
Regina looked at the bird closer and noticed something tied around its leg.  
  
"You're one of Snow's annoying little trained birds aren't you?" Regina asked as she put her palm out for the bird.  
  
The bird chirped and hopped into her hand.  
  
"You poop, you die." Regina warned as she took the small note from the bird's leg. The bird immediately flew out of Regina's hand.  
  
She opened the note and read it.  
  
'Regina, meet me at the playground as soon as you get this-Emma'  
  
She now had a choice. See what Emma was up to this time or continue to sit in her stuffy office and do paperwork.  
  
Without another thought she grabbed her car keys and headed out the door.  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Regina parked her car and walked the rest of the way to the playground. She saw Emma sitting on one of the swings slowly swinging back and forth.  
  
When Emma saw Regina she smiled big and jumped out of the swing and met her halfway.  
  
"What am I doing out here Ms. Swan?" Regina asked looking less than happy.  
  
"You can stop pretending that you don't like saying my name Regina." Emma told her.  
  
Regina just stood there not saying a word.  
  
"Come sit down, have a swing." Emma said as she turned and headed back to the swing set.  
  
"You interrupted my day and beckoned me out here to swing on the swings?" Regina asked her.  
  
"Yep." Emma said holding onto the chains of one of the swings.  
  
Regina folded her arms across her chest and didn't budge.  
  
"Come on Regina, humor me." Emma said as she patted the seat of the swing.  
  
"I don't see why I should."  
  
"Because I'm asking you too." Emma told her.  
  
"And I'm just supposed to do what you ask now?"  
  
"Just get your ass in the swing." Emma demanded.  
  
Regina turned and started to walk away.  
  
"Please?" Emma called after her.  
  
Regina turned around, let out a heavy sigh and walked slowly over to the swing set.  
  
"You're just damn lucky I decided to wear a pant suit today." Regina said as she sat down in the swing in front of Emma.  
  
Emma gave Regina a gentle push on the swing.  
  
Regina turned her head, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be doing this with me?" Regina asked, "Wasn't that why you brought me out here?"  
  
"No." Emma said as she pushed Regina again, "So, when's the last time you were on a swing?"  
  
"What?" Regina asked as Emma continued to push her.  
  
"I'm trying to get to know you Regina." Emma told her.  
  
Regina was quiet for a minute.  
  
"Henry was 6 and wanted to swing with his mom." Regina told her.  
  
"And did you have fun?"  
  
"Of course." Regina told her.  
  
"Why?" Emma asked.  
  
"Because I was spending the day with my son." Regina told her.  
  
Emma smiled at the thought of Regina on the swings with a very small Henry. Both of them laughing and enjoying the day together.  
  
"What's your favorite color?" Emma asked. She knew it was such a basic question to ask but it was something she didn't know.  
  
"Blue." Regina answered.  
  
"Really?" Emma asked in disbelief.  
  
"You thought I was going to say black?" Regina asked.  
  
Emma gave Regina a bigger push, "A little."  
  
"You shouldn't make assumptions." Regina told her.  
  
"You're right. Mine's Red in case you were wondering." Emma told her.  
  
She gave Regina another gentle push on the swing, "Is there a book that you've always loved? One that maybe you couldn't put down as a kid or still enjoy as an adult?"  
  
"That's a little tough." Regina told her, "When I was a little girl, I would beg my father to read me a story and he told me the best stories are those that come from your imagination."  
  
She paused a moment and Emma knew she was thinking about her father.  
  
"So together we made up a story about a little princess who went on one adventure after another. She was strong and brave and everyone loved her." Regina told her then sighed, "My father put the stories we thought up together in some kind of book form and when I got a little older, when my mother was being insufferable I would escape into that book and it made me feel safe again."  
  
Emma was amazed how open Regina was being with her then again maybe if she had just asked these questions before she wouldn't have been so surprised.  
  
"Do you still have it?" Emma asked, "The book from your father?"  
  
"No." Regina said quietly, "My mother destroyed it one day when she caught me reading it instead of going to my riding lesson."  
  
Emma grabbed onto the chains of the swing and stopped it, she twisted them so that Regina was now facing her, "I'm sorry your mom did that to you."  
  
Regina looked up at her and Emma could see the sadness in her eyes.  
  
"Most people disappoint you. But it hurts the most when it's people you love." Regina told her.  
  
Emma didn't know what to say to her.  
  
"Am I done with your interrogation?" Regina asked her and Emma untwisted the chains.  
  
Regina stood up and smoothed out her outfit.  
  
"It wasn't an interrogation." Emma told her, "It's just the start of something."  
  
"Well see to it that you don't interrupt me during business hours." Regina told her, "I'm very busy."  
  
"I will do my best Madam Mayor." Emma said to her as she sat down on the swing.  
  
She smiled as she watched Regina walk off to her car.  
  
Later in the evening Henry came over to Emma's for his scheduled weekend.  
  
"Do you think I'm chipping away at that hard exterior of hers?" Emma asked Henry as they sat on the couch eating Chinese food for dinner.  
  
Henry had just stuck half an eggroll in his mouth. He nodded his head, "She smibled." He mumbled.  
  
"She what?" Emma asked him.  
  
He swallowed his food, "She smiled."  
  
"So?"  
  
"She hasn't smiled in a long time and today when she got back home she was smiling." He told her.  
  
"That's good right?" Emma asked.  
  
Henry nodded his head again as he used his chop sticks to shovel chow mein into his mouth.  
  
Emma asked Henry a few questions about Regina so she could come up with another date, another chance to get Regina to open up to her.  
  
Once she had her answers she came up with a perfect idea for their next outing.  
  
Two days later, on not a work day Emma knocked on Regina's front door.  
  
Regina opened the door and saw just Emma, "Where's Henry she asked?"  
  
"He's at Mary Margaret's for the rest of the day." Emma told her.  
  
"He's supposed to be in your custody." Regina told him.  
  
"Well I have plans and he understands that." Emma said to her.  
  
"You made plans while you're supposed to be with my son?" Regina asked her, "How is that being responsible?"  
  
Emma sighed, "Does everything have to be a fight with you? Can't you just go with the flow of things?"  
  
"And what flow am I supposed to be going with?"  
  
"I'm taking you out." Emma told her, "So let's go."  
  
"Did you think perhaps to ask if maybe I had plans today?" Regina asked her.  
  
"You do have plans." Emma said, "You're coming with me."  
  
They stood staring at each other for what seemed like a long time.  
  
"Will you please come out with me?" Emma asked her, "I promise you it's nothing strenuous like sitting on a swing or anything like that."  
  
"Fine." Regina told her then she stepped out onto the porch and shut her front door.  
  
Emma drove them downtown and she parked in front of the movie theater.  
  
They got out and Regina looked at her, "We're going to see a movie?"  
  
"Yep." Emma told her.  
  
"You really consider going into a crowded theater with a bunch of noisy people a good time?" Regina asked her.  
  
"It won't be crowded." Emma told her, "I rented out one of the screening rooms. It's just going to be us."  
  
"The whole screening room?" Regina asked then looked at her, "I may have to reconsider how much I'm paying you as part time sheriff."  
  
Emma smiled, "It took a little more than cash." She said as they walked into the theater.  
  
"I might have promised to work free security on the weekends for 2 months."  
  
They walked up the concession stand and a girl with blonde hair and big eyes smiled at them, "Hi Emma, what can I get you two?"  
  
Emma looked at Regina, "What would you like?"  
  
"A large bucket of popcorn with extra butter, Medium diet Coke, a box of Good and Plenty and …." She paused as she looked at the menu, "A hot dog."  
  
Emma looked at her with surprise.  
  
"What?" Regina asked.  
  
"Nothing." Emma said, "Nothing at all."  
  
"And what about you Emma?" the girl asked.  
  
Emma looked at Regina, "I assume you won't be sharing your popcorn?"  
  
"You assume correctly."  
  
Emma turned back to the girl, "Medium popcorn, large lemonade and some Goobers please"  
  
The girl got their food and then rung up the order on the cash register.  
  
Emma handed her the money, "Keep the change Goldie." She said then carried their food while Regina followed her.  
  
They sat down in the fourth row and got comfortable.  
  
Regina kept turning around to look at the door.  
  
"Planning a quick escape?" Emma asked her.  
  
"There's really no one else coming in here?"  
  
"I told you the place is ours." Emma said, "Now all you have to do is sit back and enjoy."  
  
The lights dimmed and the screen lit up. Logos from production companies popped onto the screen, a lion's roar filled the room.  
  
Then it happened. That familiar sound of horns playing then a funky beat with drums kicked in.  
  
Emma watched as a big smile spanned across Regina's face as she stared at the screen while big huge white letters scrolled across spelling out Rocky.  
  
Regina looked over at Emma, "I love this movie."  
  
"I know." Emma told her, "Henry told me."  
  
Regina focused back onto the screen as two sweaty men duked it out in the middle of a boxing ring.  
  
"So what's this movie about?" Emma asked her.  
  
Regina almost choked on her popcorn. She turned and glared at Emma, "You've never seen Rocky?!"  
  
She sounded so horrified when she asked.  
  
"I… well … it's an old movie." Emma told her.  
  
This made Regina glared even harder, "I'm not that much older than you Ms. Swan."  
  
"I didn't say anything about your age." Emma said to her.  
  
"Okay stop the movie." Regina said as she looked around. She looked up at the projector room, "STOP THE MOVIE!" She shouted.  
  
The movie faded off screen and some of the lights came on.  
  
"Are you really going to walk out on me just because I haven't seen a movie that was made 7 years before I was even born?" Emma asked.  
  
"I'm not walking out on you." Regina told her, "I just can't believe you've never seen this movie. It's a classic!"  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't take the time to watch it while I was being bounced around from foster home to foster home." Emma said making Regina wince.  
  
"I'm sorry." Regina said to her.  
  
"It's fine." Emma told her, "Now, can we get back to the movie?"  
  
Regina nodded and Emma yelled, "ROLL IT!" and the movie started again.  
  
119 minutes later their food was gone and the movie was over.  
  
The lights came on and both women squinted their eyes at the brightness.  
  
Emma looked over at Regina who slyly wiped a tear from her cheek.  
  
"So, what's it about this movie that you love?" Emma asked.  
  
Regina looked at her, "Are you kidding me? What's not to love about it?"  
  
Emma shifted in her seat so she could look at Regina as she told Emma why she loved Rocky. About how no one really believed in him, how they told him he'd never make it, how he was the underdog but despite all that he kept going, he trained hard, he did his best and in the end he won. It wasn't really about the fight it was about all the stuff he had to go through to get to that point.  
  
"Plus he got the girl in the end." Emma told her.  
  
"He already had the girl." Regina told her.  
  
"But she made him fight to keep her." Emma said, "And I'm not talking about in the ring."  
  
Regina smiled and stood up, "Sometimes you have to see if the other person is willing to fight for you."  
  
"You mean instead of walking away?" Emma asked.  
  
Regina looked down at her, "Yes instead of walking away."  
  
Emma stood up, "I'm trying Regina. Doesn't that count for something?"  
  
"It does."  
  
Emma smiled because this was the first time that she actually felt like she had a chance.  
  
"So you have time for one more movie or are there more pressing things you need to do?" Emma asked her.  
  
"I have no where I need to be at the moment." Regina said to her.  
  
"Good." Emma said, "Now let's go get more snacks."  
  
Regina followed Emma back out to the concession stand, "I had to go with your 3rd favorite movie." Emma told Regina as they waited for Goldie to get their order.  
  
"Why? What's wrong with Gone with the Wind?" Regina asked about her 2nd favorite movie.  
  
"I can't sit for 4 hours watching one movie." Emma told her, "My ass and I would fall asleep and we both snore."  
  
Regina laughed.  
  
They went back into the screening room and got comfortable. The lights dimmed, the screen flickered as Regina's 3rd favorite movie, The Princess Bride began.  
  
Emma paid more attention to Regina than the movie.  
  
"You're missing the good parts." Regina said to her without taking her eyes off the screen.  
  
"No I'm not." Emma said smiling as she continued to gaze at her.  
  
After the movie the lights came on and both woman stood up and stretched.  
  
"That guy was way too pretty to be a pirate." Emma said as she started to pick up their garbage.  
  
"At least he wasn't wearing guy-liner." Regina said and Emma laughed as she thought of Hook.  
  
"Yeah no kidding."  
  
After their mess was cleaned up they walked out of the screening room and Emma thanked Goldie one more time before they left.  
  
Emma drove Regina home and walked her to the door where they lingered for a moment.  
  
"I'm not going to kiss you." Regina told her, "If that's what you're thinking."  
  
Regina's eyes darted to Emma's lips which made Emma smile.  
  
"I wasn't thinking that." Emma told her.  
  
"Good." Regina said to her then turned to unlock and open her front door.  
  
She turned around, "So, today wasn't too unbearable."  
  
"That's a start." Emma said to her.  
  
"Good night Ms. Swan."  
  
Emma smiled, "Good night Regina."


	5. Chapter 5

Regina sighed happily once inside her house then scolded herself immediately after.  
  
What the hell are you doing? This was Emma Swan, the woman who walked away from you after you begged her to stay. She's going to hurt you again if you let her.  
  
But she was trying, she was trying to make things right. She said she had feelings so just let her try and make things right.  
  
Yeah she could be trying to get into your pants again. But if that was true then why try so hard to plan elaborate things?  
  
"DAMN IT!" She cursed out loud quieting the thoughts that battled in her mind.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
Regina jumped then looked up at the stairs to see Henry standing there.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked as he came down the stairs.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine." She said to him, "I didn't realize you'd be home."  
  
"Yeah I came home earlier. I wanted to see how your day went with Emma." He said as he followed her into the living room and sat down on the couch, "Did you have fun?"  
  
Regina tried hiding her smile, "It was enjoyable."  
  
"Look, I know that you don't want to talk about what happened between you and Emma while I was gone and that's fine." He said, "And I know you don't need my permission but, I want you to be happy and if Emma can make you happy then I hope you give her another chance."  
  
"You do want to give her another chance right?" He asked her, "I mean that is why you're going along with what she's doing."  
  
"A part of me really wants it Henry." Regina told him, "But there's that other part that got hurt and I'm …"  
  
"You're scared she's going to hurt you again." He finished her sentence.  
  
Regina nodded.  
  
"If she didn't want to be with you why would she be trying so hard to make it up to you?" Henry asked, "And why would she go to the trouble of asking me if it was okay if she didn't mean it?"  
  
"Those are two very good questions Henry."  
  
And it was because she'd never asked Emma. At first she thought it was just to get back into Regina's bed but now she actually saw that Emma was being genuine. She saw that Emma really wanted to have something more with Regina than a physical thing.  
  
Regina smiled at her son. He was pretty smart for his age and sometimes he put a whole new perspective on things.  
  
"Thank you Henry." Regina said then gave him a tight hug.  
  
"Any time Mom." He said to her.  
  
"Do you think perhaps you can go to your grandparents for tomorrow night?" Regina asked him.  
  
He arched an eyebrow, "Yeah, sure. Why?"  
  
"I have a couple of questions to ask a certain someone." She told him with a smile.  
  
Regina sat on the couch, her thumb hovering over the Send button on her phone.  
  
She sighed and hit the button. Two rings and Emma picked up, "Hi."  
  
"Hi." Regina said.  
  
Then silence.  
  
"Um, was there something you needed?" Emma asked.  
  
"Yes, I was wondering if you were free for dinner." Regina asked trying to calm her voice.  
  
"Tonight?" Emma asked, "How can you still be hungry?"  
  
Emma cringed, "I'm sorry that sounded rude. Yes I'm free for dinner."  
  
"Not tonight." Regina told her, "Tomorrow."  
  
"What about Henry?" Emma asked.  
  
"He'll be with the idio…um with your parents." Regina said correcting herself.  
  
Emma chuckled a little, "Okay yeah dinner tomorrow night then."  
  
"I'll pick you up at 7." Regina told her.  
  
"You're going to pick me up?" Emma asked.  
  
"Yes." Regina said, "That's what one does when they ask someone out on a date. They pick them up."  
  
"Okay." Emma said with a chuckle, "I'll see you tomorrow at 7 then."  
  
The next day was a complete blur for Regina as she tried her hardest to get through her day. She put aside paperwork at Town Hall and called off two back to back meetings that would have gone on well into dinner time and Regina didn't have time for that.  
  
After she got home she called Mary Margaret and made sure Henry could spend the night then spent almost an hour trying to find an outfit. She stood in her walk-in closet rejecting almost every outfit she had.  
  
She settled for a burgundy colored sweater and a nice pair of jeans. She admired herself in the mirror before leaving her bathroom.  
  
"Wow." Henry said when he saw her, "You look nice."  
  
"Thank you." She said.  
  
She dropped Henry off at Mary Margaret and David's before driving over to Emma's apartment.  
  
She stood quietly outside of Emma's door taking a moment before she knocked.  
  
Emma answered the door and smiled when she saw Regina. "You look very beautiful." She said.  
  
Regina looked at Emma who was wearing a pair of tight black jeans and a blue button up shirt.  
  
"You look nice as well." Regina told her.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Are you ready?" Regina asked and Emma nodded.  
  
An hour of driving and Emma was starting to get a little worried.  
  
"Um, you're not taking me somewhere where they can't find my body, are you?" Emma asked as she looked out the window.  
  
Regina chuckled, "It's not too much further."  
  
She soon turned off the highway and drove till the road turned to dirt and she stopped in front of a small log cabin.  
  
"Where are we?" Emma asked as they got out of the car.  
  
"This is my cabin." Regina said as they walked up to the door.  
  
"I didn't know you had a cabin." Emma said as Regina opened the door and they went inside.  
  
Regina flicked on the lights, "No one does. This is where I come when I need to get away, where I find some peace and quiet."  
  
"It's a beautiful cabin." Emma said admiring the rustic yet homey look of the place.  
  
"Thanks." Regina said as she went into the kitchen and put on an apron.  
  
"What are you doing?" Emma asked at she followed her.  
  
"I promised you dinner did I not?" Regina asked as she opened the fridge.  
  
"You're going to cook for me?" Emma asked surprised.  
  
"I can do a lot more in the kitchen than just fuck and bake you know." Regina told her.  
  
"I .. well.. sure… I mean…" Emma looked around nervously.  
  
"Can you go start a fire?" Regina asked as she smiled.  
  
Emma just turned around and headed out the door to get the firewood.  
  
Regina chuckled to herself as she started dinner.  
  
Emma worked quietly as she brought in wood and then started a fire in the big stone fireplace.  
  
She wiped her hands on her jeans and stood up and watched as the flames dance around the wood.  
  
"Something smells really good." Emma said as she went into the kitchen.  
  
"That's probably the garlic bread you're smelling." Regina told her, "Can you take it out of the oven?"  
  
"Sure." Emma said.  
  
Regina was standing in the way and Emma wanted to politely wait for her to move but she didn't want the bread to burn.  
  
"Um." She said and gently put her hands on Regina's waist and moved her to the right, "Excuse me." She said then bent down, opened the oven and pulled the bread out using the potholders.  
  
She put the tray on the counter and shut the oven, "There you go."  
  
Regina smiled then moved back in front of the stove and finished up the spaghetti she was making.  
  
They sat down at the table and began to eat.  
  
"Not that I don't appreciate you taking me to your secret hideout but why did we have to come all the way out here for spaghetti and meatballs?" Emma asked as she put her fork down.  
  
"The spaghetti is great by the way." She added smiling.  
  
"I thought we could talk." Regina told her, "Finally talk about everything that's happened between us."  
  
"And you thought that if we were in public I'd make a scene?" Emma asked.  
  
"No I just thought it would be better without any distractions." Regina told her as she took a sip of her wine.  
  
"Or witnesses." Emma muttered.  
  
She looked at Regina who wasn't amused, "I'm sorry, I know we have to talk. I'm just a little nervous."  
  
"What are we doing? What is this?" Regina asked her, "Because I'm telling you now I will not go back to being your fuckbuddy."  
  
"Whoa! Okay first, we agreed on just being fuckbuddies when that whole thing started." Emma said, "And second, please don't ever say fuckbuddy again."  
  
"I know this started out as a casual no-strings agreement and I know nothing else was supposed to happen but something did and when I told you, when I asked you to stay you just left." Regina said to her.  
  
Regina sighed and shook her head a little, "What I don't understand is, if you had feelings for me then how could you just leave?"  
  
Emma's eyes shifted down to the table, "I was scared."  
  
This intrigued Regina because she'd seen first-hand how brave Emma was.  
  
"You were scared of me?" Regina asked.  
  
"Not you but the whole situation. I didn't expect any of this but the more we were together the more I wanted it and that scared me. I started thinking about so much and I spooked myself." Emma told her.  
  
"What were you thinking about that scared you?" Regina asked.  
  
"What if we started dating and then something happened and it didn't work out between us. You and I aren't the only ones that would be hurt by this. We'd go back to the way it was when I first came to Storybrooke, you hating me and Henry and I having to meet in secret." Emma told her, "I didn't want to put him in the middle of it all."  
  
"Henry is already stuck in the middle of whatever this is with us." Regina told her, "And despite what you may think of him, he can handle it."  
  
"And don't use our son as an excuse." She added.  
  
"I'm not using him as an excuse. I'm thinking about someone other than myself." Emma told her.  
  
"And all these little things you've done now to win me back?" Regina asked, "Is that you being selfish?"  
  
"No, it's me trying to show you that I was stupid." Emma told her.  
  
"I already know that." Regina said.  
  
"Gee thanks." Emma said then took a sip of her wine.  
  
"What I'm trying to ask is why you would do all that to show that you were being stupid." Regina said then looked her in the eyes, "What do you want Emma?"  
  
"I want to start over." Emma told her, "I want to try again with you and do it right this time."  
  
"Why should I give you a chance? Why should I care that now because you've decided that you aren't scared anymore that I should just agree and we can, what be a couple?" Regina said getting angry.  
  
"You hurt me." Regina told her "Do you think after a few little gestures and some flirting that I'm going to forget that?"  
  
"It's all fun and games till someone catches feelings and then I'm the one left crying into my pillow at night because you're too fucking stupid and scared to just tell me you like me!" She continued, "I waited for you, like a fool I waited hoping you'd see that you made a mistake and come back and we could work through it but you didn't."  
  
Hot tears filled Regina's eyes, "You avoided me. What did you think that would actually accomplish? Did you think I'd forget how I felt for you? Did you hope that it would help you forget?"  
  
"You hurt me." Regina repeated, "You really hurt me."  
  
A tear ran down Emma's cheeks. She got up from her seat and knelt down by her. She took Regina's hands in hers, "I know I hurt you Regina, and for that I am truly sorry. I know words aren't enough and I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you. To make you see how sorry I am for what I did and that I'm serious about this, about us and I want to see if we can make this work."  
  
Regina looked down at her.  
  
"If you don't think you can trust me, if there's no way for me to prove to you then I need you to tell me now Regina." Emma told her.


	6. Chapter 6

They stayed there, quietly looking into each other's eyes before Regina finally spoke.  
  
"I want to trust you Emma." She told her.  
  
Emma smiled at her.  
  
"Why are you smiling?" Regina asked giving her a look.  
  
"You called me Emma." She said, "And that means there's hope."  
  
The smile dropped from her face and her tone got serious, "So, will you give me another chance? Will you let me prove to you how I feel?"  
  
Regina was silent for a good few minutes.  
  
"We're going to take things slow, do things right this time." Regina told her.  
  
Emma smiled and Regina stood and pulled Emma up to her feet.  
  
"I'm going to kiss you now." Regina told her.  
  
"Are you sure that's not moving too fast?" Emma joked.  
  
"Perhaps you're right." She said then turned to walk way.  
  
"Hey…." Emma said and pulled her back over.  
  
She wrapped her arms around Regina's waist, "I don't think a little kiss would hurt."  
  
Regina leaned in and their lips touched, her hands went into Emma's hair.  
  
Emma moaned and her hands started to wander up Regina's back.  
  
Regina broke the kiss and pushed Emma away lightly, "Let's just take…" She sighed, "A step back."  
  
Emma chuckled, "Okay."  
  
"How about we go for a walk?" Regina asked and Emma agreed.  
  
They walked side by side down the path they drove up earlier. Emma hesitated before taking Regina's hand in hers.  
  
"I don't want to have sex with you." Regina said and Emma let go of her hand.  
  
"Uh, okay." Emma said, "I just wanted to hold your hand."  
  
"I'm sorry." Regina chuckled, "And I don't mean forever Emma. I just…"  
  
"I'm not trying to get you back in bed, Regina." Emma told her, "I meant it when I said I want to do things right with you."  
  
"And I want more than just sex. I want dinner dates, romance and backrubs." Regina told her, "I want Sunday mornings in bed doing the crossword puzzle together."  
  
"Oh well you got me there." Emma said, "I'm crap when it comes to doing crosswords."  
  
Regina looked at her, "I'm serious. I want a relationship."  
  
She let go of Emma's hand, "If you don't want that too then you can just walk away again."  
  
Emma stopped walking and Regina stood staring at her, "I need to know that you want this."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere this time Regina." Emma told her, "I want this just as much as you. So I'm not going anywhere."  
  
Emma held out her hand and Regina took it.  
  
They walked back to the cabin and went inside where they sat snuggled on the couch in front of the TV. Emma held Regina tight as the fire started to die out.  
  
"I can't believe you planted a tree in my yard." Regina said quietly.  
  
"Yeah I took a shot with that." Emma said, "I honestly thought you would have uprooted it as soon as I left."  
  
"Too much work." Regina told her.  
  
They stayed on the couch for a while watching an old movie till Emma yawned.  
  
Regina smiled, "Well I'm ready for bed. How about you?"  
  
She stood up and stretched then looked down at Emma. "You coming?" She asked before turning and heading to the bedroom.  
  
Emma sat on the couch for a minute or two before she finally got up and went into the bedroom.  
  
Regina came out of the bathroom wearing pajama bottoms and a grey t-shirt that said Queen in pink writing on it.  
  
Emma tilted her head, looked at the shirt then to Regina.  
  
"Henry bought it for me 2 Christmas' ago."  
  
"Ah." Emma said, "So should I just…. Are you sure you don't want me to sleep on the couch?"  
  
"Emma, I want you in my bed." Regina told her.  
  
Emma smiled, "I was hoping you'd say that."  
  
"There's some pajama's in the top drawer." Regina told her then pointed to the chest of drawers.  
  
Emma went to the drawers and grabbed a pair of pajama's bottoms. She went into the bathroom and put the pants on then took her blouse off leaving her in a black tank top.  
  
She came out of the bathroom and saw that Regina was already in bed. Emma just stood at the side of the bed.  
  
Regina smiled at how awkward Emma was being then lifted the covers.  
  
Emma climbed into bed, laid flat on her back and stared at the ceiling.  
  
Regina chuckled as she scooted closer, took Emma's arm and wrapped it around her laying her head on Emma's chest.  
  
She wrapped her arm around Emma's waist and closed her eyes, "Your heart is beating so fast."  
  
"All your fault." Emma told her then kissed the top of Regina's head.  
  
In the morning Emma woke first. She smiled as she saw that Regina was completely wrapped around her.  
  
She looked peaceful and vulnerable; this was definitely a side of Regina she'd never seen before.  
  
Regina stirred in her sleep and squeezed Emma around the waist causing Emma to chuckle.  
  
"Am I dreaming?" Regina asked, "Because I'll gladly keep my eyes closed if I am."  
  
"You're not dreaming." Emma said to her.  
  
Regina opened her eyes and lifted her head to look at her, "You stayed."  
  
Emma kissed Regina on the lips, "I stayed."  
  
When they got back into town, Regina dropped Emma off at her place before returning home.  
  
Emma told her parents she was dating Regina. David's response was to faint and Mary Margaret said they'd talk about it later as she fanned David with a dish cloth.  
  
Henry was more than happy that both his moms were not only getting a long but getting it on.  
  
For Emma though, it didn't matter what Henry thought or how her parents reacted all that matter was Regina. She promised no more one night stands, no more rushing out before dawn.  
  
There were dinner dates, backrubs, hand-holding down Main Street, crossword puzzles on Sundays and watching the blossoms on Regina's new apple tree bloom.  
  
It was romantic and cheesy and somehow perfect.  
  



End file.
